Inside tube cutter



lfy l, 1928. 1,667,823

F. n. RICH INS IDE TUBE CUTTER Filed Feb. 17. 1.925

g1 I lll WH :lll

` outer parts or end to Patented May l, 1928.

vk.UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FREDERICK D. RICH, 0F EDGEWATER, NEW JERSEY; ADELAIDE RICH EXECUTRIX OF SAID FREDERICK D. RICH, DECEASED.

INSIDE TUBE CUTTER.

Application led February The object ot my present invention is to provide a simple, efficient, durable and easily operable tool Jfor insertion within a pipe or tube to sever the pipe or tube trom the inside.

The various features oit novelty which characterize my invention are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part oi. this specification; but tor a better understanding ot the invention, its advantages and specific objectsattained with its use, reference should be had to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which I have illustrated and described preferred embodiments ot my invention.

. `Ot the drawings:

Fig. l is an elevation in which the tubeoperated on and, portions et the tool are in section;

Fig. 2 is a section on Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3-3 of Fig. l; r f

Fig. l is a sect-ion taken .similarly to Fig. 2, and showing af cutting wheels areV substituted tor the single cutting wheel ot Figs. 1-3; and

Fig. 5 is a cross section on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4.

In the drawings, and referring first to the construction shown in Figs. l, 2, and 3, a tool body is shown formed o'f inner and end sections A and A. The end ot the inner section A adjacentI the section A is formed with a cylindrical socket or chamber AL which is internally threaded to its outer end to receive the threaded inner end ot the outer section A. By this threaded connection the sections A and. A are rigidly secured together in the AGl operative condition of the tool.l but may be separated when occasion requires. The section Aris formed with a transverselv'extending slot A8 at the inner end ot the chamber A2 having its outer side in open communication with the latter. Mounted in the slot orguideway is a. tool supnort D, which may advantageously be a block ot steel, The block D is hiturcatcd at its outer end to receive the cutter E. wl'iich is in the 'form o't a steel disk ournallcd on a shait E. the ends lof which are held in the forks D of `the block D. The guideway A3 is enlarged at its outer end A4 to provide clearance for modification in which three 17, 1925. Serial No. 9,725.

against the adjacentside of the block D andv y its outer end bearing against the inner end of the body section A. A spiral cam groove C is formed `in the end of the cam C adjacent the block D. The cam groove C receives a cam lug or projection7 carried by the member D, and advantageously in the 4torni ot a hardened steel pin D2 having one end secured in a socket formed for the purpose in tlie` member D. The cam C is rotated in its chamber to thereby give radial movement to the member D by means of a shaft B which passes axially through the section A', made hollow Yfor this purpose, and has its tapered inner end entering a tapered socket C3 formed in the member C, and in which it is secured by means of a tapered key C4. r

Aty its outer end the section A and the shaft B have a ratchet connection. This connection is formed byaxially extending ratchet teeth A5 on the member A at lits outer end and normally in mesh with the ratchet teeth AG formed on the adjacent end of a member A7. The latter surrounds the shatt B and is movable axially ot the latter to engage and disengaget-he ratchet teeth A5 and A3 but is prevented from angular movement with respect thereto by' means of a suitable key or spline, shownA as formed by a radially extending stud-bolt BAk into the sha-.tt Band having its head re ceived in an axially. elongated slot A3 in the member A7. The ratchet teeth of the member A7 are normally heldin mesh with the ratchetteeth As on the end of the body section A by means ot a helicalspring B received in a recess or enlargement of the bore of the member A7 with the inner end or` the spring bearing against the inner end of the wall oi? the recess and with the outer end of the spring bearing against a collarlike enlargement- B2 of the shaft B which threaded is slidingly received in theou'ter end ot thev recess in the member A7.

the shaft B may be.` rotated. To facilitate assembly and disassembly ot the apparatus, the section A is advantageously tlattened at its sides,` as ind-icated at A, tor engage ment by a` wrench, andthe aection .fr is formed, at its inner end with a polygonal extension Am adapted 'l'or wrench en ;raecment. A set screw D axially mounted iu the inner end ot the section A. and having its inner 'end extending' into the eguideway A and received in a reces` or slot il! lormed in the tool support l), normally limits thel radial movenient in either direction ol' the tool support D, and in particular prevent.`l they incidental movement ot' the tool support D out ot" ita guideway A through the end A1* thereof.' A split collar F surrouudine` the toolsection A and adjustable axially of the latter, may be secured in any desired position along the length o'l` the latter by a clamping screw F. The collar F terme4 a stop abutting against the end ot the tube G to be severed and fixing* the distance trom the tube (lf end ot the cut made by the cutter when the tool istinserted as shown in ltiit. l into a tube (t to be `severed. rlbe parts are so proportioned that the inner end ol` the tool may be freely entered into the tube to he severed when the cutter E is radially retracted.

tiththe tool entered as Shown in Fig. l, into a. tube G whichis to have its adjacent end cut ott, the severing operation proceeds as follows: rlhe shaft B is tiret rotated relatively to the section A in the direction (counter clockwise) permitted by the .shape ot` the ratchet teeth A. A to advance the cutter D until it bites into the inner wall of the tube Gr. The Shaft B. and thereby the tool as a wholeia then given a turn in the opposite (clockwise) direction, thereby cuttingr arcircular groove or hert in the tube. The shaft B is then again rotated in a counter clockwise direction relative to the tool body` the distance ot one or more ratchet teeth A to cause the disk lt) to bite deeper into the. tube. and the tool is then airain ro tated in the clockwise direction for one complete turn, and these olierationnI are continued until the tube is severed. After the severing operationis completed. the cutter E may be retracted by moving the member A? away t'rom the section il to eeparate the ratchet teeth on the members, and then rotating the Shaft B and member A7 relative to the tool body in the clockwise direct-ion until the cutter is sutliciently retracted.

The tool shown in Figs. l, and 23 is simple in construction. and reliable and otlective in operation.- The radial advance oit the cutter holder by means including" the, spiral Cam groove C permits otE a relatively easy eut-ter advance motion. since the cam groove may well be shaped as shown in 3 so that the radial cutter movement will be proportional, and desirably Small willi re Iepeet to the angular movement ot the cam C in it chamber A? throughout the entire range ol cutter movement. '.l`he elongation ot the aetire cam surt'aee by which the radial movement ot the cutter holder is cl tested which the construction permits` increases the leveraeje. and dmreases the l'orcc reipiired to torce the` cutter into the work, and also makes it possible to divide up the zulvancinp; movement o'lE the cutter bloclv' into a relatively .lare'e number oll lsmall and delinite steps, one tor each ot thc ratchet teeth. the extent ot' each such .step dependin e. ot course. upon the pitch ot the ratchet teeth. Ot course the radial adviuicement of the cutter at cach adjustment may result from a relative angular movement of the members It and Af corresponding to one, two, three or more ol the ratchet teeth, dcpending on the character olt the work and the conditions ol operation. The construction is one permitting; the-ready and relatively inexpensive machining ot the parts employed. and the tool can readily bc taken apart'. and the parts liable to wear. notably the cutter ll. its supportin;r .shalt IC. the cam pin 1). may readily be replaced when this is necerasar'v. l1`urthermore. the 'am member C itselt'v can be readily replaced when wear makes this desirable. or ehaugliea in the operating" conditions makes it dcsirabley to replace one cam C by another havine' a .spiral cam ot' ditl'erent pitch or .--hape.

In Figs, land 5 ot the drawing. a modified construction is shown in which a plurality oli cutterfi laubstituted :lor the single cutter o't'Fig. l. In this construction three cutter wheels ll" mounted on blocks Dl are, moved simultaneously in radial directions, each within a cf)ri-cs]ionding.r radial recess A?" in the body section AA, which corresponds with the body section A of Fig. l. The simultaneous movement; o'l the three cutter wheels is obtained by ,so positioning the pins D in the respective blocks D that these pins D12 all engage at ditl'erent points within the Same single spiral groove CH. All three cutter wheels ll" may thus be simultaneously forced into engagement willi the pipe and therealter simultaneously rotated and radially advanced to cut the pipe.

lVhilel in accordance with the provisions ot the statutes, I have illustrated and described the best form of embodiment of my invention now linownvto me, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that changes may be made in the 'form of the apparatus disclosed without', departing from the lspirit ot my invent-ion as set forth in the alipended claims and that in some. eases certain features el. my invention may be used to advantage without a corresponding use ot other features. i

Having now described my invention, what llt) I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

l. An inside pipe cutting tool comprising a tool body adapted to be inserted in a pipe to be severed and formed with inner and outer separable sections, said inner section being an integral body formed with a chamber open at the outer end of the section and with a transverse guideway open at its outer side to the inner end of said chamber, a cutting tool support mounted in said guideway with a cam engaging projection extending into said chamber, a tool advancing' cani rotatably mounted in said chainber and formed `with a spiral groove in its inner end receiving said tool support projection, a shaft member rotatably mounted in the outel` section of said tool body and detachably secured to said cam, a ratchet connection between said shaft and said outer body section permitting rotation of said shaft relative to said outer body section in one direction while normally preventing such relative rot-ation in the opposite direction. y

2. An inside pipe cutting tool comprising a toolbody adapted to be inserted ina pipe to be severed and formed with inner and outer separable sections, said inner section being formed with a chamber open at thel outer end of the section and with a transverse guideway open at its outer side to the innel end of said chamber, a cutting tool support mounted in said guideway with a cam' engaging projection extending into said chamber, a tool advancing cam rota tably mounted in said chamber and formed with a spiral groove in its inner end receiving said tool support projection, a shaft member rotatably mounted in the outer section of said tool body and detachably secured to said cam, a ratchet connection between said shaft and said outer body section permitting rotation of said shaft relative to said outer body section inone dithreaded through the inner end of said inner section and entering said recess;

3. An 'inside pipe cutting tool comprising a body adapted tobe insertedin a. pipe to be severed and consisting of inner and outer sections, said inner section being formed with an axial chamber in its outer end,.thc outer portion of which is internally threaded, and the outer section having `its inner end externally threaded and screwed into said chamber to detachably connect said sections, said inner section being formed with a transverse guideway openat its outer side to the inner end of said chamber, a tool support mounted in said guideway and formed with a projection entering said chamber, a tool advancing cam rotatably mounted in said chamber and formed with a spiral groove .in its inner end, a. shaftre ceiving said projection rotatably mounted in the outer section of said tool body, a tapered key passing transversely through said shaft and said cam to detaehably secure f them together, a ratchet connection between said shaft and 'said outer body section per mitting rotation of said shaft relative to said outer body section in one direction while normally preventing relative rotation in the opposite direction. n

Signed at New York in the county of New York and State of New York this 16th day of February, A. D. 1925.

FREDERICK D. RICH. 

